Wire-stripping device



Aug. 28, 1945. R. GORDON 2,383,479

WIRE STRIPPING DEVICE Filed May 5, 1944 INVENTOR. Reu ban Gordon Patented Aug. 28, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIRE-STEERING DEVICE Reuben Gordon, Jamaica, N. Y.

Application May 5, 1944, Serial No. 534,369

4 Claims. (01. 81-95) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a wire stripping device.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of a wire cutter and stripper characterized by having four blades simultaneously movable toward a common point.

Still further it is proposed to provide a wire cutter and stripper having a handle providing spring means for urging the cutting and stripping elements to normal position.

Still further, it is proposed to provide a wire cutter and stripper as aforesaid for cutting or stripping a wire intermediate its ends.

For further comprehension offthe invention, and of the objects and advantages' thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel featuresof the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wire stripping device constructed in acordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1 showing a piece of insulated wire partly stripped.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the stripping tool of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front view of one of the cutting blades of the tool of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan'view of the blade of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, similar to Fig. 2 of a wire cutter and stripper constructed in accordance with a modification of this invention, one blade being indicated in a dot and dash lines in one position assumed in the operation of the tool.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

The wire cutting and stripping tool shown in Figs. 1-5, according to this invention, comprises a U-shaped spring metal handle in to the free ends of which are secured, as by welding, two blades Ii. If desired, blades ll may be made integral withthehandle Ill. Blades II are identical but are oppositely disposed and spaced from each other. Each blade II has two oblique diverging slots l2 and a cutting edge I 3, the cutting edges being opposite to each other.

Two other spaced floating blades [4, at right angles to blades II, are movably secured to blades II by screws I! threadedly secured to blades ll having shoulders I! slidably. disposed in slots I2. Each blade I! has threaded holes l6 for the screws'll and has a cutting edge I'l. Blades I 4 are somewh t shorter than blades ll. Each screw l8 has a ead wider than the slot l2 it is disposed in so that blades It can not become disassembled from blades I I.

The spring handle I0 is energized and the slots I! are directed as shown in Fig. 1, so that the handle i0 normally holds the rivets at the inner ends of the slots with the blades H and I4 disposed at their full extreme positions away from each other, providing a rectangular opening l9.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the cutting edges l3 face forwardly whereas the cutting edges I! face rearwardly. However, if desired, the cutting edges can all face in the same direction, that is, all forwardly or all rearwardly.

The operation of this form of the device is as follows:

An insulated wire 2., the end of which it is desired to bare, so that an electrical connection can be made, is disposed with its end to he hated in opening l9. Handle III is then squeezed so that the cutting edges bite into the insulation at 2!. The tool can then be turned so that a cut is completed entirely around the insulation. The user of the tool will only squeeze the handle l0 sufiiciently to pierce the insulation and not to cut the wire. However, the tool canalso be employed to cut the wire if desired, as the slots I! are made long enough for the cutting edges l3 to come together and for the cutting edges I! to come together, thus completely eliminating the opening I9.

In stripping the wire, after the insulation has been cut through, the user of the tool holds the wire in one hand and pulls the tool with the other hand, still keeping the handle squeezed. In some cases it will be possible to pull off the insulation in one piece 22 as shown in Fig. 2. In other cases the tool can be used by continually pulling it back and forth to scrape the insulation off. In a, similar manner the tool may be used to scrape the wire so that a bright, clean surface is obtained, aflording a good electrical conthe screws engaging the outer ends of the slots,

leaving opening l9 about one sixteenth of an inch in width. In such case the tool will be only a stripper and not a cutter. This type of tool may be employed where it is desired to have a tool which can not accidently cut the wire. This type of tool for stripping only is particularly adapted for use with wire made of many strands where the danger of accidently cutting one of the strands is great.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the construction of the tool is. similar to that previously described except that one slot I2 is opened through the side edge of its blade II' by a portion 12''. The adjacent blade H can then be swung so that its rivet i5 moves out of slot I! as indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 6, the other rivet I!" of blade ll actin as a fulcrum. Such swinging of blade l4 opens opening I! through one side of the tool and permits an intermediate part of a wire to be introduced to the opening I! for strippin When using the tool for stripping, rivet IE will be disposed in slot I2 above the portion l2", preventing blade ll from accidently swinging out of operative'position. In other respects the tool of Fig. 6 is like the tool of Figs. 1-5 and no furtheir description thereof is deemed necessary.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right i reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A tool for stripping insulation off of wire comprising a U-shaped spring metal handle, a blade connected to each of the free ends of said handle, said blades being spaced, each of said blades having a cutting edge and two oppositely inclined slots, a pin movably disposed in each of said slots, and two spaced blades, each having a cutting edge and bridging said slotted blades at one side thereof and rigidly secured to said pins, said slotted blades being movable toward each other and said other two blades being movable toward each other upon movement of said free ends toward each other.

2. A tool for stripping insulation of! wire comprising two parallel spaced blades each having two oppositely directed inclined slots, two other parallel spaced blades at right angles to said slotted blades each having two pins secured thereto, each of said other blades bridging said slotted blades at one side thereof and having its pins disposed in the adjacent slots of said bridged blades, and handle means connected to-two of said parallel blades for moving them toward each other and for simultaneously moving the other two parallel blades toward each other whereby said blades are adapted to simultaneously out into the insulation of said wire.

3. A tool for stripping insulation of! of wire comprising a U-shaped spring metal handle, a blade connected to each of the free ends of said handle, said blades being spaced, each of said blades having a bevelledscraping edge and two opposite inclined slots, 9. pin movably disposed in each of said slots, and two spaced blades each having a bevelled scraping edge and bridging said slotted blades at one side thereof and rigidly secured to said pins, said slotted bladescraping edges being oppositely directed to the scraping edges of said other blades, said slotted blades being movable toward each other and said other blades being movable toward each other upon movement of said free ends toward each other.

4. A tool for stripping insulation off of wire comprising a U-shaped handle of spring metal,

a blade connected to .each or the free ends of said handle, said blades being spaced, each of said blades having a scraping edge and two inclined oppositely directed slots, one of said blades having a passage opening one of its said slots through an edge of said one of said blades, 9. pin movably disposed in each of said slots, and two spaced blades each having a cutting edge and bridging said slotted blades at one side thereof and rigidly secured to said pins, said slotted blades being movable toward each other and said other two blades being movable toward each other upon movement of said free ends toward each other, the blade rigidly secured to the pin disposed in said slot opened by said passage being swingable to move said last mentioned pin out of said passage and said slot it opens for permitting insertion of a wire between said blades.

REUBEN GORDON. 

